Boca Raton Office: (561) 488-4848Boynton Beach Office: (561) 733-4010

Boynton Beach, FL and Boca Raton, FL Toenail Fungus Treatment

The medical community refers to this condition as onychomycosis or tinea unguium, but it is commonly known as toenail fungus. This is an infection below the surface of the nail that is caused by contact with different types of fungi. If toenail fungus in Boynton Beach or Boca Raton is left untreated, the infection can grow deeper. As a result, the nail can become weak or brittle to the point that it eventually falls off.

Types of Common Fungal Nail Infections

There are four main types of fungal infections that affect the toes, including the following:

Distal subungual onychomycosis (DSO): This is the most commonly diagnosed and treated fungal infection. Also known as Athlete’s Foot, this infection spreads across the nail bed, which causes the nail to become discolored and weak.

White superficial onychomycosis (WSO): WSO is far less common than Athlete’s Foot, causing white patches to appear across the entire nail.

Candida onychomycosis: This chronic fungus is usually caused by trauma, and it causes the toenails to become bulbous or enlarged.

Proximal subungual onychomycosis (PSO): This fungal infection causes yellow or white spots to appear near the base of the toenail.

By better understanding, the different types of toenail fungus in Boca Raton or Boynton Beach patients, our podiatrists at Family Foot Center can better treat your condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Toenail Fungus

Because there are varying types and levels of severity for toenail fungus in Boynton Beach or Boca Raton patients, it’s important to have your condition diagnosed by Dr. Pinsky, Dr. Greissman or Dr. Aedo. If you are worried that you might be suffering from a fungal infection in your nails, you can perform a self-evaluation to look for the following common symptoms:

Scaling under the nail

Distorted nail

White or yellow streaks on the nail

Foul odor from the infected nail

Crumbling corner or tip of nail

Flaking white areas on the toenail’s surface

Loss of the nail

If you are exhibiting any of these signs, contact our foot doctors in Boynton Beach, FL or Boca Raton, FL to schedule a consultation.

Boynton Beach and Boca Raton Toenail Fungus Treatment

Depending on the severity of your condition, treatment might not be necessary, but it is recommended because toenail fungus might be contagious. Not only can you spread the condition to someone else, but depending on the type of fungus, you can also infect your other toes.

For mild cases of toenail fungus, your doctor will likely start with conservative treatments. These may include prescription anti-fungal oral medications or topical solutions. For patients who exhibit severe symptoms—or for those who do not respond to medication—the doctor may recommend nail avulsion surgery. During this procedure, the nail plate is removed and chemical treatments are introduced to treat the infection.

Contact our Boynton Beach, FL or Boca Raton, FL podiatrists at Family Foot Center for more information on toenail fungus or to schedule a consultation.